This invention relates generally to passenger seating, and more particularly, to a passenger seat for use in a vehicle, such as a commercial aircraft, that is convertible between a three-seat configuration and a two-seat configuration. In particular, the inboard seat of the passenger seat assembly is convertible between a seating configuration and a non-seating configuration.
Changes in the airline industry have made quick turnaround time between flights of increasing importance. Because of financial losses, many airlines have cancelled or delayed new aircraft orders. Existing aircraft must be more quickly turned around between flights. In situations where seat configuration changes are needed, the ability to convert a passenger seat assembly between economy class (also referred to as “coach”) configuration and business class configuration saves substantial time over replacement of an entire seat assembly, which generally requires the aircraft to be out of service at least overnight and serviced by an aircraft maintenance crew. At the same time, the increased cost of commercial travel has led aircraft passengers to expect greater comfort and convenience in business class seating.
Conventional aircraft passenger seat assemblies are generally formed of two or more seats attached to a unifying frame which is in turn locked into a seating track in the floor of the aircraft. The seats are usually fixed onto the frame in such as way as to prevent adjustments to the width of the seat itself or to the spacing between adjacent seats of the assembly. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,178,345, 5,131,607, 5,104,065, and 4,881,702 assigned to The Boeing Company disclose convertible passenger seat assemblies, some of which alter the width and/or spacing of three-seat and two-seat assemblies, and others of which convert seat assemblies between three seats and two seats. U.S. Pat. No. 6,793,282 assigned to B.E. Aerospace, Inc. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,139, assigned to Burns Aerospace Corporation also disclose convertible passenger seat assemblies and methods for converting a passenger seat assembly from a three-seat configuration to a two-seat configuration suitable for use in business class seating of a passenger aircraft.
Despite past efforts, a need remains for a convertible passenger seat assembly that is quickly and easily converted between a three-seat configuration (i.e. economy or coach class) and a two-seat configuration (i.e. business class). A more specific need exists for a convertible passenger seat assembly that is quickly and easily converted between a three-seat configuration and a two-seat configuration by the flight crew or ground crew of a commercial aircraft between flights. A further need exists for a convertible passenger seat assembly that improves the comfort and convenience of an aircraft passenger in business class seating.
The convertible passenger seat assembly of the present invention permits quick and easy conversion between a three-seat configuration and a two-seat configuration by an aircraft flight crew or ground crew between flights. More generally, the convertible seat assembly of the present invention permits quick and easy conversion between a seat assembly having any number of seats, wherein at least some of the inboard seats are converted to a buffer between adjacent seats defining a convenience area for use by the occupants of the adjacent seats in business class seating. The seat assembly is designed such that the conversion features and the mechanisms for effecting the conversion are transparent to passengers and intended for access only by an authorized aircraft flight crew or ground crew member.
In addition to providing quick and easy conversion by an aircraft flight crew or ground crew, the convertible passenger seat assembly of the present invention improves the comfort and convenience of conventional business class seating. In particular, the passenger seat assembly provides a convenience area adjacent a business class passenger seat. The passenger seat assembly improves the comfort of a business class passenger by increasing the effective width of the passenger seats adjacent the convenience area. The passenger seat assembly also improves the convenience of a business class passenger seat by providing a magazine stowage compartment having at least one docking station for a communications device, a foldable cocktail table, a placement area for supporting personal articles, an electronics stowage compartment for storing an electronics device, such as a laptop computer, digital video disc (DVD) player, MP3 player or gaming console, and a power console adjacent the business class passenger seat.